European countries have implemented the use of roundabouts for traffic safety for several years. Now, the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is following suit, having turned to roundabouts to improve public safety and traffic operations. “There are several reasons that … Continue reading →
The public works department is a multifaceted, ever-evolving municipal department that few fully understand. It is responsible for the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of a city’s infrastructure, including its roads, transportation system, bridges, water, waste disposal, pest control, etc. … Continue reading →
Shawn O’Leary, Norman, Okla., director of public works, joined the team in 2007 and his primary goal was improvement of his department. “I was looking for a tool to help me fix that,” he explained. He had been watching the … Continue reading →
There’s a Frostasaurus roaming the streets of Boulder, Colo., but city officials and residents aren’t worried. It’s one of a herd of 10 city snowplows bearing names bestowed on them this winter by Boulder elementary schoolchildren. “We wanted to engage … Continue reading →
AARP says it wants to make communities stronger for all ages and demographics, and its Community Challenge grants are one way the organization is making a difference in smaller cities and towns. A recent project in Silver City, N.M., is … Continue reading →
An innovative internship program is working to address gaps in the city of Moline, Ill.’s, public works workforce, and it could serve as a model for other cities looking to address similar issues. Students will soon get real-world experience through … Continue reading →
The public is used to thinking of firehouses, police departments and other city agencies as separate entities that serve and protect them through countless needs and issues. That’s the way it’s always been, but that doesn’t mean it must always … Continue reading →
On Oct.11, 2020, Greensburg, Pa., fire chief Thomas Ball responded to a late-night alarm coming from the community’s public works building on South Urania Avenue. As he drove the three-and-a-half minutes to the garage, Bell wasn’t overly concerned. He expected … Continue reading →
Richard Hardy is a natural leader. After a 33-year military career and six years as the director of public works for the city of Valdosta, Ga., he was named a deputy city manager to the community’s current leader Mark Barber. … Continue reading →
After years of steady growth, the city of Greeley, Colo., decided to place matters of its public works department’s development into someone else’s hands. In May 2020, the Greeley Public Works Department finished its first-ever external analysis, following the human … Continue reading →
Stormwater, which is defined as any water from rain or melted snow running untreated into storm basins, has a significant environmental impact most people do not fully understand. Untreated stormwater has the potential to pollute local water bodies and cause … Continue reading →
